Enjoy All Our Years

However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all.  (Ecclesiastes 11:8)

Twenty-six years ago I drove my wife to the emergency room. For the next eight hours we played backgammon while waiting for her condition to improve. It didn't. The pain became unbearable; they gave her drugs. This helped, but not enough. My parents were in Atlantic City, gambling. Hers in Charlotte. So there we were, a young couple facing our first life or death moment without friends or family nearby.

I forget what I wore that day. A surf shirt, probably. I do recall wearing a white headband with the word "Coach" printed in blue marker. I guess I was a good coach because later that evening she delivered a baby boy, our first.

Birthdays are a big deal in our family. Not as big as Christmas, but close. Birthdays mark our beginnings and suggest we might leave a lasting impression on others. In our family, when it comes to birthdays, nobody does a better job of celebrating our legacy of life than my cousin Ricky.

A typical "Cousin Ricky" birthday box includes a specially mixed CD with songs from the year you were born, DVD movies tailored to your tastes, toys from the Dollar store and candy. Lots and lots of candy. Sometimes the candy has melted by the time the box arrives, but that's okay. Chocolate in any condition and shape is good.

In the past I've received a plastic whistle (with compass) to help ward of bears and keep me from getting lost on the trails above Black Mountain, old Westerns DVDs, several copies of the movie Jaws (in case the player eats one), CDs with music from Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Beach Boys, Beatles, etc… and candy. Lots and lots of candy.

The writer of Ecclesiastes advises us to enjoy all our years – not just those early ones when people were making a fuss over us. Too often we adults discount birthdays and other days and pretend they're not a big deal. But they are. Every day is huge. If you don't think so, try living without one.

I wish every family had a Cousin Ricky. I wish I cared about people as much as Ricky. None of us knows how many years we'll have together; but it seems to me, setting aside one day out of 365 to acknowledge the life of someone we love is a small testimony to their worth.

The Psalmist writes:

"... all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:16) 

When it comes to birthdays, "B" in the moment. Inhale the sweet smell of fresh cut grass on a ball field and hear the sequels of laughter on a playground. Taste and see that God is good today and everyday.

The next time a friend or family member has a birthday, give candy and a song from their good old days. The shipping will probably cost more than the gift but that's okay. It's the thought that counts.

And thoughts of love and life are priceless.

Eddie Jones © 2012, used with permission.